In the United States alone it is estimated that 60,000 people die each year of liver failure, whereas the donor pool remains constant at approximately 4000 with 16-18,000 on the waiting list. The odds of receiving a donor liver for subjects waiting on the list are only 1 in 8, yet there is no effective treatment available to extend the lifetime of this group of patients.
Liver failure results in multiple organ dysfunction and mortality rates are in the order of 80%. In patients with cirrhosis, the main precipitant of acute deterioration in liver function is infection. The specific form of infection that is most commonly observed in such patients is spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. This acute deterioration in end-organ function continues despite treatment of the underlying infection and mortality rates of up to 40% are commonly observed. However, the mechanisms that lead to this acute deterioration in liver function following infection are not clear.